Draco's Illness
by Chalyn the redneck bitch
Summary: Draco gets sick one morning and only gets worse. All characters belong to J.K.R. Read and Review!
1. Sickness can only get worse

Draco moaned as he woke up; it was as if he hadn't slept at all. Though, judging by the light that was pouring in through the window, he'd overslept if anything. Good thing it was a Saturday. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed, shivering as his bare skin was chilled. He lifted a shaky hand and raked his fingers through his hair. Reluctantly, he stood on the floor and went over to the wardrobe. If being a prefect had no other perks, it was having your own private room and furnishings. He pulled out a sweater and pair of slacks. As he pulled the black sweater with green diamonds over his head, he felt an immense tickle in his nose. Sneezing mightily, the pale-haired Slytherin sat down on the end of his bed. Regaining his composure, he pulled his black slacks on and hunted down a pair of socks. Next came the shoes, which he had to bend over to tie. Doing so made his head throb and nose run terribly. He sniffed and laid back once he was done, resting for a bit.

The rest was intended to be short but ended up being quite a bit longer. A knocking on the door woke him with a start. He moaned, perhaps a bit louder than he'd intended, as an overly concerned voice issued from the other side of the door.

"Draco? Are you okay?"

"Pansy?" Draco coughed once, hard. "Just fine; I'll be out in a moment."

"Don't bother; I'm coming in. Pureblood."

The door swung open and in flowed Pansy, long-term girlfriend of Draco. He moaned in spite of himself; why wasn't he happy to see her? She sat next to him and leaned in for a kiss. He turned his head, feeling a sneeze come on. It did and he was, for the first time that day, grateful he felt like house elf food. But it didn't save him; she gently turned his head around and leaned in again. He turned just enough for the kiss to turn out being just a peck on the cheek.

"What's wrong?"

"Hate to get you sick."

"Ah, so something _is_ wrong."

"No need to _COUGH_ sound so _COUGH_ smug about it." Draco broke into a hard coughing fit, bending him over to the point he almost fell off the edge of the bed. Not knowing what to do, Pansy rubbed circles on his back. She continued doing so while he regained his breath.

"I'm alright now, thank-you." In truth, he still felt like crap, but to admit that would be to admit he was sick. Though he'd already done as much, Draco still had a small bit of pride left and intended to keep it. He stood, fighting a wave of dizziness. Pansy stood too, much to his dismay. Slowly, making his attempt at balance look like grace, he walked towards the door. He made it and closed it after Pansy. He then went to the common room, thoroughly intending to leave her and go with Crabbe and Goyle wherever. However, the only other person in the common room was Blaise Zambini.

"Malfoy. Pansy."

"Blaise."

"What, no greeting from you, Malfoy? Something eating at you?"

"No. Good morning, Blaise."

"Morning? Not bloody likely! It's mid-afternoon, Malfoy."

"Bloody hell! Well, good afternoon then."

"Something wrong?"

"No."

Malfoy walked past and through the portrait hole into the dungeon corridors. Pansy followed him but he lost her once he turned and walked into the boy's bathroom.

In the bathroom, Draco sank to the floor with his back against the wall. He rested his head on his hands and sighed. Surely he should be more allowing to Pansy; she was his girlfriend after all. But he just couldn't find it in him to let her nursemaid him, maybe it was so ungodly out of character for her to want to and him to need it. After what he felt was sufficient time, he left. Pleased to find that Pansy had left, Draco walked on to the potions room. Once there, he knocked tentatively. Finding no answer, he went to Snape's office and knocked.

"Come."

Draco did so and closed the door after himself. Snape glanced up from his papers, slightly surprised to see who he saw.

"Yes?"

"Professor," Draco coughed on his wrist, drawing Snape's attention, "I need a potion."

"Go on."

"Do you by some chance have a cold tonic I could use?"

"That's what the hospital wing is for, isn't it?"

"Right, and give up to anyone who may see that I'm sick? Please, professor." Draco coughed hard, bending over. He had to put a hand on the nearby wall for support while he regained his composure. The potions master's coal black eyes softened a bit to see this and he stood.

"Alright, Mister Malfoy, I'll give you a dose."

Draco nodded his thanks, not trusting that he had a voice. Snape walked around to a door and opened it to his private stores. He came back out after a bit, holding a vial of red liquid. Draco turned to see and smiled slightly. He reached a shaky hand and took it. He uncorked the vial and gulped down the potion, feeling instant relief to his throat but really little else. Seeing his confusion, Snape took the empty vial and put it back in his stores. He then went and sat back down behind his desk.

"It won't take total effect immediately, Mister Malfoy."

"Thank-you professor. And I'll thank you not to mention why I was here."

"Don't sound so much like you're in charge of the situation, but no I'll not tell why."

Draco nodded and turned to leave.

"Draco." He turned back around to face Snape. "Get some rest."

Draco smiled, nodded, and turned back to the door. He opened it and stepped out. He walked down the corridors, not to the common room, but to the stairs. He went up and walked to the Great Hall. He walked over to the Slytherin table and sat down in his usual seat, next to Crabbe and Goyle. Thankfully, Pansy wasn't there.

"Where've you been?"

"Trying to get away."

"Right. She came here looking for you."

"Right." Draco sniffed. He looked across the way to see a certain Gryffindor staring at him. Blearily, he stared back into the green eyes of Harry Potter.

"Heads up."

Draco turned to Goyle, wanting to ask what he meant, but answered himself when he saw Pansy walking through the door. Sighing slightly, Draco let his head fall.

"I've been looking all over for you. Where've you been?"

"In the loo."

"For half an hour?"

"No, I went to see Snape."

"What about?"

"Something not concerning you."

Pansy shut up and caressed Draco's face. As much as this annoyed him, he didn't object to the coolness of her fingers on his hot face. Shortly Crabbe and Goyle were done eating and the four left. Draco felt himself being stared at and turned his head to see Harry following.

"I'll be right with you."

The others nodded and continued on, leaving Draco. He stepped back against the wall and waited for Harry to approach. He did and stared him down.

"Did you want something, Potter?"

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Besides being harassed by you?"

"You show up at the very end of lunch after skipping breakfast, then don't eat. I know you're up to something."

"Oh really. Well-" Draco broke off in a coughing fit that landed him doubled over. It was short lived, however, and Harry stepped closer and put his arm to his throat, putting him in a choke hold.

"Don't be smart with me, Malfoy. You think you can get away with it, well you're wrong. And why the bloody hell is your skin so hot?"

Harry drew his arm back and Draco breathed deeply and coughed slightly.

"I'll have you know that sometimes, if you'd step off your high horse, you'd see that people sometimes get sick."

Harry was quiet and Draco started to walk away. Harry grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Sorry. Get some rest before Monday."

Draco nodded, trying not to close his eyes for too long. He turned and left, not making any particular hurry to catch up with the others. Somehow, Harry's suggestion of getting some rest wasn't sounding like such a bad idea. In fact, the more he thought of it, the better it sounded.

_A/N: Whether you review or not, I'm continuing this because, spoiler alert-Bellatrix is going to be a main character in this and I love her! She's like, my favorite character. Bellatrix and Arwin, you can't go wrong. So nih. _


	2. At Auntie Bella's House

Draco was awakened by a crackling in the fireplace in his room, followed by a woman's voice. Recognizing it immediately as his aunt Bellatrix, he said that he'd be right there. He then sat up and pulled a blanket about himself, then walked over and sat in front of the fire and his aunt's face.

"Hello, Draco. Had a good night's sleep?"

"Fine."

"You sound a bit hoarse, alright aren't you?"

"Fine." Draco wondered why she was being so polite, to the point of being nice.

"Well then, I was just checking in. Sure you're alright?"

Draco had been shivering since getting out of bed and was now slouching over to the left, eyes closed. Unable to hide his suffering any longer, the only thought that occurred to him was that, since Bella was being nice, maybe she'd help somehow.

"Bella..." but he couldn't ask her to come so what did he want? He just finished falling to the floor and laid there, shivering, in front of Bella in the fireplace.

How long he laid there, Draco wasn't sure. All he knew was that when he woke up he was in his own bed. Well, not _his_ bed, but yet he felt comfortable in it. He heard again the voice of his aunt Bellatrix, only it seemed more real than it had, without the crackle of the fire in her voice.

"He's coming around, Cissy."

"Oh thank god. Draco?"

"M-Mom? Bella?" Draco coughed and found a cup of water being pressed against his lips. He opened his eyes to see his mother standing over him, holding the cup. behind her stood his father, and to the side a bit behind the bedside table was Bella. He recognized the room to be the room he'd slept in when he visited his aunt before she'd been sent to Azkaban. She'd been prettier then, with perfect white teeth and smoother hair, with not so much a gangly look about her. Now but a residue of her formal beauty, she had the look of one who'd been in Azkaban for fourteen years, especially her eyes. Her eyes had always been big and green, but now they were maddened. She no longer laughed but cackled. But perhaps worst of all, Draco knew she was in love with the Dark Lord, and though his whole family served him, none had taken that step. But nonetheless, he was grateful for her putting him up. His father stepped up and put a hand on his mother's shoulder. Bella smiled and stepped closer, looking down at him and forcing him to look up rather than around.

"You gave me a fright. Now is that any way to treat your dear auntie Bellatrix?"

"Sorry…everyone. How did I get here?"

"Bella flooed and brought you here, of course."

Draco was instantly fearful for a few reasons. Number one, why was Bella seeming to care so much all of the sudden? Number two, why didn't the alarms go off when she entered Hogwarts? And number three, how bad off was he to draw a hint of concern out of Bella's eyes? One of these was answered by what happened next. The Dark Lord walked into the room and stood just within seeing distance.

"So, the boy will live, I presume?"

"Yes, my lord." Bella was as she always was to him.

"Good. He may still finish his task."

"But my lord!" his mother seemed shocked, "He's not yet recovered; he could relapse!"

"If I didn't know better, Narcissa, I'd say you were telling me what to do."

"She isn't, my lord." Again the protector of his family, "Women are always overly concerned for their young."

"He's your son too, Lucius!"

"And I'm concerned as well, but what our master wants, he shall have it."

"Thank-you, Lucius. I see you've regained some sense after your stay in Azkaban. Now then, the boy."

Narcissa ran out of the room crying. The Dark Lord took her place at the bed and looked down at Draco, who shivered as much from fear as anything.

"You will complete the task I have given you."

"Yes, my lord, with honor."

"And you will be sure he knows who did it, knows he was killed by a boy of his own school."

"Y-yes, my lord. I would delight in it."

The Dark Lord smiled. "Good." Then he turned and went to the door. "One last thing, Bella."

"My lord?"

"Don't be so urgent. I was in the middle of something of grave importance when you summoned me."

"I'm sorry, my lord. It was out of concern for his mission I was so urgent."

He smiled again and left. Lucius nearly collapsed from relief. Bella did nothing but stare at the door. After a few minutes, Lucius left. More of a falling unconscious, Draco closed his eyes and slept.

Bellatrix was torn from her thinking of how it would be if the Dark Lord would announce her as his most faithful follower when she heard Draco stir. She turned and looked, only to find that he was shivering, badly. She thought of getting him another blanket, then saw that he had to be quite feverish. Then he started coughing, hard. The coughing fit racked his whole body and made tears come out of his eyes. Bella had no idea what to do but had seen her sister give him water so she did that. He couldn't stop coughing long enough to drink it and Bella had the feeling the skin in his throat was shredding. Even though they'd all been specifically ordered not to use magic, she'd been allowed to keep her wand as it was her house and the need would arise to transport him back to Hogwarts. Though the alarms hadn't gone off for her, one of the worst Death Eaters, they would doubtless go off for the Dark Lord even if he _did_ want to take Draco. She pointed her wand at the boy and said a charm to silence his coughing. Almost at once, the Dark Lord came in, enraged his orders had not been followed.

"I deliberately said no magic, did I not?"

"Yes, lord."

"Yet you used magic, did you not?"

"Yes, lord."

"Your reason might mean the difference between punishment and death."

Bella looked at the Dark Lord, not in his eyes but at his face nonetheless, a boundary only she would dare to overstep. "I did not want the boy to die before his task could be completed. He was coughing so badly I feared the worst could happen. I shall take whatever punishment you deem necessary, my lord."

The Dark Lord looked at Bella for a bit then laughed. "So you would go to prison for me, yet you would take death for him?"

Bella thought about this, choosing her words carefully. "I went to Azkaban and suffered Dementors for fourteen years for you, my lord. Death is not something I fear, if it would help the task to be completed."

The Dark Lord thought about this and raised his wand. He pointed it at Bella and she closed her eyes, ready. Instead of pain or the shock of death, she felt a slight tingling, then suddenly remembered that she'd cast a spell of lasting protection over Draco. The memory of helping his coughing fit was gone. The Dark Lord turned and left, leaving Bella to look down at Draco laying on the bed, shivering in his sleep.


	3. Return to Hogwarts

The next day, Draco was considerably better. His fever was down to 100, his regular, and his cough was all but gone entirely. In fact, he felt better than ever. He assumed the potion Snape had given him had finally taken effect. Barely remembering his way, Draco went out of the room and down one of the long hallways to the staircase. As he went down, he saw Bella in the foyer talking with a house elf. He hung back and listened.

"I told you not to come here. It's too dangerous."

"But mistress Bellatrix needs to hear what Kreacher says."

"Is this about, you know, the will?"

Draco clamped a hand over his mouth, what will?

"Yes. Kreacher must never come back. Harry Potter ordered it."

"Harry Potter. Well, I suppose I'm glad you told me. You know, I'm a Black too. Perhaps if I gave you…"

"No! Mistress Bellatrix must not expose herself!"

"What do you mean?"

"They would know who freed Kreacher. They would know, we mustn't let them do things!"

"Alright, Kreacher, alright."

Draco watched as Bellatrix guided the hous-elf outside, then returned. She twiddled with her wand a bit. Draco sneezed and, though his hand muffled the sound, Bella hear.

"Well good morning, Draco. Come on down, Severus was asking after you earlier."

Drco stood and obediently walked down the stairs to his aunt. She put a hand on his shoulder and guided him to the sitting room. There sat the Dark Lord with his snakek. Bella stood within seeing distance to the side, holding Drco to her side until they were recognized.

"Sit, Belatrix. And you, Draco. I trust you're ready to return."

Draco hadn't given it much thought but it now dawned on him that it had to be Tuesday, meaning he'd missed Monday. He nodded. "yes, my lord. By your leave."

"Then Bellatrix, if you would?"

"Certainly, my lord. Draco."

The two stood and Bella threw some powder into the fireplace. They stepped in and she called out, "Hogwats, Draco Malfoy's bedroom!"

In a whirl of activity, they were flooed into the fireplace of Draco's room. Bella did her laughe and went back quickly in case the alarms happened to kick on. Draco stared at the fireplace and wondered why even the Dark Lord had been semi-civil to him.

Meanwhile, at Lestrange Manor, Bella was climbing out of her fireplace when the Dark Lord spoke. "He should have a Horcrux made."

"my lord?"

"He'll not survive this illness, of that I am sure."

"My lord, he has stregnth. Though I do not contradict your word, I believe he has a chance."

"You heart longs, that is why you cling to those close to you. But his lungs are weakened, his stregnth dwains."

"It is not his stregnth, lord, but his spirit. He will recover, if he can but focus."

The Dark Lord peered at Bella. "Perhaps you are right. We shall soon see."

"My lord?"

"The charms I placed upon him shall soon wear off. Then we shall see."

Bella looked taken aback. But she soon recovered and bowed low. "By your leave, my lord."

"You serve me without fear. Yet a few simple words strike fear into your heart."

Bella didn't understand what the Dark Lord was saying or why he was saying it.

"You have a strong soul, that is why you have such a strong patronus."

Now she understood. He was pointing out that she was more human than he.

"The boy will complete his task, with help. After it is done, he may choose to have a horcurx made. Otherwise, Malfoy Manor will have another tombstone."

Bella found herself short of breath. The Dark Lord had always had his quirks, sometimes admitting his faults and prophesizing outcomes of his actions, but now he seemed almost human. For that matter, the more she thought of it, the more Bella realized she was more human than she had been in the past. It was in this state she thought to ask what otherwise she would never think of. "What ailes the boy, my lord? What is killing, as you say, my nephew?"

"A sickness of the lungs, known mostly to muggles but in wizzard blood as well. As we speak, his lungs are being slowly drowned by his own bodily fluids."

Bella, for the first time in her life, stopped the Dark Lord from speaking. She didn't want to know. In the silence that followed, Bella wondered if the Dark Lord could read her as well as he'd read Draco. And if he could, would she want him to?


	4. Conditions get worse

Sun poured in through the window, pooling on the floor. Draco didn't even flinch. He just laid there, in bed, with blankets wadded up around him. He'd been like this for the past week, unable to do anything but sleep or make the occasional trip to the room of requirement. He opened his eyes and knew he had to get up; otherwise he'd never get the job done. So he slowly heaved himself up and out of bed. He pulled a heavy sweater and some jeans on, then left.

The common room was empty, so Draco went on without delay. He went up the flights of stairs and passed by the wall, thinking _I need the place where everything is hidden. A door materialized and through it he went. There he saw, not the vanishing cabinet, but Bellatrix Lestrange, looking around. _

"_Hello, Bella."_

"_Draco. The Dark Lord grows impatient."_

"_I'm working on it, but how are you here?"_

"_The cabinet of course. It is mended enough to take one."_

"_Why are you here then?"_

_Bella's mad eyes softened as they had before. She held out a small, stuffed dragon. It had been his when he was a baby, why did she have it? _

"_Take this. When you…complete the task…you must let part of your soul enter this. It is important to you; it should work."_

"_You mean a-a horcrux?"_

"_Yes, a horcrux. So long as you have it, you cannot die."_

"_I don't want to live forever."_

"_Then you can destroy it when you're ready."_

"_Why did you come, Bella?"_

_Bella turned her head away. "Because the Dark Lord said you should have a horcrux. He instructed me to tell you how it is done."_

"_Why?"_

"_Because you're dying!"_

_Draco was silent, as was Bella. Surely she was mistaken; surely he wouldn't die yet. He was sick, it was true, but not that sick, was he? _

_Suddenly, the castle alarms went off and Bellatrix grabbed her left forearm. Draco's burned too and Bella grabbed her wand, ready to fight. _

"_Run, Bella! Get out of here, get out!"_

_She nodded and crawled back into the cabinet. Draco thought about it but decided against it; the alarms had ceased and his mark no longer hurt. He left the room and bumped into Harry, who was holding his head. _

"_What the bloody hell were you doing in there?"_

"_As much as I'd like to argue, Potter, I really don't have the time."_

"_Right." Harry punched Draco in the jaw. The white-haired boy fell against the wall but didn't move to get up and fight. Harry looked down and felt a bit of pity, had he still not recovered? He offered a hand but Draco made no move to take it. He just sat there, staring into nothingness. Harry bent down and picked him up, standing him on his feet. _

"_Potter, despite all we've done to hate each other, you're the closest thing to a friend I've got."_

"_You're delirious, Malfoy." And it was true, Draco now had a constant fever. But something in his eyes made Harry think again. How long had that been there, that vulnerability? He shook his head at the thought, but something told him that it was true. And though they were enemies, Harry decided to treat him as a friend. _

"_Listen Malfoy, if you need it, I've got some dreamless sleep potion."_

_Draco coughed hard and almost fell over. He was tired, weak, and at Death's doorstep, and he knew it. And with so much expected out of him, he at last knew what it was to be Harry Potter. But he was Draco Malfoy, and he could die, was dying. And there was nothing to be done about it._


	5. The snake and lions

Draco was lying in his bed, covers pulled up to his chin. But he wasn't alone, as he'd thought at first. In the sea of green and gold tapestries and moving pictures of Quidditch victories, there were four people sitting around, dressed in red clothes. Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasly, and Ginny Weasly were all there, looking around and at Draco. At first, he was shocked to see them, frightened even yet. Then he remembered. He remembered telling Harry the password to his room [pureblood], and saying not to let anyone see him. He remembered him coming in with the others. Then he remembered telling them all his fate. Now they all just sat there, the next morning, seemingly not having gone back to the Gryffindor tower. Ginny was the first to speak, saying a simple good morning that thankfully didn't require a reply. Draco doubted he had a voice. But of all of them, Ron's was the only face that held any remnant of the hate they'd forged. But why shouldn't it? In first year, when they'd first met, Draco had said that he was the wrong sort. But it was only a remnant, not nearly as strong. After a bit, Harry took a deep breath and began.

"So let me get this straight. You said last night that you were dying."

Draco nodded, heaving himself into a sitting position.

"And you don't know what from."

Again, he nodded.

"And your aunt has been checking in on you and keeping tabs on behalf of Voldemort."

Draco flinched at the Dark Lord's name. But he nodded. Harry sat back in his chair, leaving the floor open to any further conversation. Hermione piped in.

"Why don't the alarms go off when she comes, or when she makes any contact?"

Unfortunately, this required a real answer. Draco coughed. "They went off when she was summoned. It's not a Death-Eater that sets them off. It's the Dark Lord's presence."

Hermione nodded. Ron opened his mouth to speak but changed his mind. Ginny leaned forward.

"You know you're dying but not what causes it. How do you know at all?"

"Bella." Draco coughed hard and closed his eyes. But he didn't pass out. Ginny continued.

"She can tell such things on her own?"

"No, the Dark Lord told her I assume."

"That's impossible." Hermione said, "You need a soul to foresee death in such a way."

"The Dark Lord has seven horcruxes, not counting himself. He has a soul, shredded though it may be."

"However and whoever," Ginny said, continuing her point, "He or she knows more than they are saying."

Draco closed his eyes, somehow not really wanting to know. But Harry picked up on Ginny's point.

"If we knew the cause, we could help you."

"What is this _we_?"

Harry looked at Ron with a frightening stare. "Well I assumed my friends would help me save a life, Death-Eater or no, but if that's not the case…"

"No, that's alright, only Death-Eaters have never shown us any mercy."

"If I could," Draco's voice was soft and raspy, "I would take back anything and everything I've said. Yes, my whole family is Death-Eaters. Of course I grew into one, but-" Draco didn't finish; he was thrown into a coughing fit that took any breath he'd ever had away. He covered his mouth with the corner of his top blanket and when he drew it away, blood.

"No one," Harry said, "Death-Eater or no should ever have to go through this. Yes, we may grow up in our own worlds on our own paths, and we may grow to kill each other, but even Voldemort shouldn't have to endure this."

Everyone gasped; when had Harry begun to think like this? But Draco, breathing raggedly, whispered "Thank-you."

It was decided that the Gryffindors would go back to their own tower, and good thing. Shortly after they left, there was a crackling in Draco's fireplace and out came Bellatrix. She was at Draco's side in an instant; she'd never seen her nephew so helpless looking. He was paler than the moon and had red rims around his eyes. Though he smiled at her, she could tell it was forced through his hurt. But she put on an encouraging face.

"Hello, Draco."

"Bella." His voice was a ghastly rasp, as if even whispering was a strain.

"I was sent here to check on your progress but…"

Draco's polite smile dropped as he heard his task mentioned. He closed his eyes and was slow to open them. Bellatrix was saddened both by the news that he hadn't done anything and the fact that he was beating himself up over it.

"Don't worry; we'll fix it."

"How? You don't know how, I have to-" Draco coughed hard, repeatedly. He turned his head and coughed blood onto his blankets. Though he'd tried to spare Bella the sight, she knew what it was. How long ago had it been that the Dark Lord told her Draco was dying? Not so very long ago, and yet now he seemed dead already. The thought occurred to her to kill him herself. Certainly it would be quicker, with no more pain. But that would set off the alarms, shutting down the floo system. And even if she could get away, she'd still have to face the Dark Lord's wrath. But she could tell by looking that Draco wouldn't be able to finish his task; he'd do good to live to see it done. Her thoughts were interrupted, however, when the fire crackled again and Narcissa came out.

"He's coming home, Bella."

"Cissy, no…"

"I know you want to follow his orders, but for Chrissake, this is your nephew!"

"Taking him home won't help him. You'll only incur his wrath."

"The Dark Lord told me what is to become of my son and I swear it, I will not have my Draco die at Hogwarts from a muggle disease."

"He'll die no matter where he's at. Cissy, think about this."

"I am thinking. I'm thinking about how it's better to make my son comfortable in his last days than leave him here to rot."

"Cissy, I'm just as concerned as you but-"

Narcissa smacked Bellatrix right across the face. "You're not concerned about him, you never have been! All you care about is the Dark Lord! It's always about him; you didn't even shed a tear when your own husband rotted away in Azkaban! But you'd feign concern for a boy you haven't even known for fourteen years!" Narcissa took a breath to calm herself down. "No, Bellatrix. Draco belongs home with his family."

With that, the pale woman swooped over and scooped Draco into her arms. She then stepped into the fireplace and away she went. Bella stood there, not believing what had just happened. Then she stepped into the fireplace too and went to her own home. Draco's room was left empty, save for one flesh-colored string.

In the Gryffindor common room, Harry Ron Hermione and Ginny were all sitting around the fire, disbelief etched in all their faces. Narcissa Malfoy had come and claimed her son. Though they all knew they could do nothing for Draco, somehow that seemed like it'd been a bad idea. And sure enough, Harry's scar seared with pain and he saw through Voldemort's eyes. He was screaming, not at the cringing Bellatrix who'd told him what had happened, but screaming nonetheless. He'd known when Narcissa and Lucius had left at different times that something was amiss. But this? Bellatrix felt real and true fear as she had never before, not even when they'd caught her and thrown her into Azkaban. With a wrath like this, had it really been a good idea to tell him? _Of course_, she thought, _otherwise, he'd have pulled it out of me and punished me as well. And yet, she'd willingly betrayed her own sister. And even in the worst of Death-Eaters, family was something you used yes, but you never blatantly betrayed them. _


End file.
